Jami mental health toolkit plays vital pandemic role
MENTAL HEALTH Awareness Shabbat took place last week. Jami, the community’s mental health service, developed this Shabbat to help remove stigma and discrimination surrounding mental illness, a significant factor for many people who choose not to seek support that could be vital to their recovery.
This year, the theme of MHAS was the impact of the pandemic. More than 150 communities, organisations and individuals, throughout the UK and beyond, listened to speakers and sermons and joined in with online activities and discussion groups on the importance of mental health. Many people bravely shared their own experience of mental illness and its effect on themselves and their loved ones.
Living through a pandemic has affected the mental health of all of us. While isolation and anxiety, uncertainty about the future and complex health concerns are common experiences for people with mental health issues, the new regime of social restrictions and lockdown has left many of us experiencing similar feelings for the first time. For some, it proved to be the tipping point between managing everyday stress or low-level anxiety, into a mental health problem that requires professional support. For others, it has
been an extension and challenge to receiving treatment for an ongoing issue. For all of us it has highlighted how good mental health is not something that can be taken for granted. As with physical health, it needs looking after, and occasionally may require professional help to be maintained.
The past Shabbat was an opportunity for the entire community to focus on and raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing. Jami provided a toolkit of ideas and resources, including sermons from a range of rabbis; youth activities; conversation starters and tips for looking after your mental health during lockdown and beyond. The toolkit is still available to download at jamiuk.org/toolkit